This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Arianna Ajtar, founder of Mars the Label. Launched in 2015 from her parent’s garage, this contemporary fashion brand prides itself with its commitment to impeccable tailoring, charitable and sustainable practices, and a sleek and sophisticated aesthetic that empowers and celebrates individuality.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Here, Arianna shares the lessons learned as she has successfully scaled her business into a global multi-million brand and what’s next on the horizon.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Drama, dance, and music were the highlight of my school years as acting was initially what I’d wanted to pursue as a career. I also took a massive interest in English literature, as I’ve always loved reading and understanding more about reading in between the lines of things. All these subjects I feel carved out my career in one way or another. Whether it be confidence building, honing my writing or refining my emotional intelligence, these classes led me to running a successful business and I’m so grateful.
What was your first job?
I had two jobs at the time I started Mars the Label. One was at a jewellery shop and the other was at a fragrance store; both were interesting to me and I really loved dealing with customers. It soon, however, got pretty overwhelming as I was at university and had launched Mars the Label, which had immediately taken off.
What inspired you to enter the fashion space and launch Mars the Label?
At 19, I founded Mars after noticing a gap in the market for luxury womenswear at an accessible price point. Looking good makes a woman feel good so I knew I wanted to create designs that contoured and emphasised the female physique. So, in my family home in Manchester, I designed pieces I wished existed. The initial response was incredible and sales took off immediately. Today, I’m proud to say we’ve grown into a global brand with a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in the works, an amazing team, and the most supportive community of ‘Mars Girls’ worldwide.
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What are the key elements of your role?
When you first start a clothing brand, you’re deeply involved in the creative process because you need to establish the style and message you want to convey to your customers. However, as Mars grew, so did my responsibilities. I still oversee everything that happens but I’ve had to focus more of my attention to the larger business strategy nowadays. I often wish I could split myself in two and be everywhere at once, but since that’s not possible, I collaborate closely with each department from the start of every collection or project. I make sure to have regular check-ins for updates so I’m always in the loop, as well as still designing a lot of the pieces that are on site now. I’m incredibly lucky that my team shares my vision and is the backbone of Mars. I trust them wholeheartedly, and together, we make an unstoppable team – as they say, great minds think alike!
Talk us through your daily routine.
From the moment my alarm rings, I don’t stop. My morning routine is the most important part of my day and I like to spend the first 20 minutes of my day with affirmations playing on YouTube whilst I catch up with suppliers who are overseas. I either go to the gym or go on a walk with my sausage dogs. I then head into the office and spend most of my days in meetings, on production sets, or ideating the next campaign strategy and having fun with the team. If you were to catch me at the Mars headquarters, I’d probably have a mix of colour swatches, fabric materials, photos, and ideation decks in my hands – as well as a coffee. By 6pm, I’m at home in Manchester, cuddled up with the pups.
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What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Stay true to yourself and your vision. Don’t sacrifice your morals to accommodate others and never underestimate yourself. Take time to learn about the industry and your craft and I urge you to make as many mistakes as you need to grow. Everyone starts somewhere. I remind myself that the legends didn’t become great without some hiccups along the way and when I stumble, the best thing I can do is dust myself off and continue on. The best lessons you learn are in your hard times so embrace them, and document every moment, whether you share it to socials or not. I regret not documenting the early days of Mars, however I never imagined it would be what it is today and during the time I launched I didn’t anticipate needing or wanting to look back at the times when it was just me at home, alone.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Never discount the power of a passion project! I started Mars in my family home in Manchester with a vision for the brand and £3,000 (Dhs14,266) to my name. With grit, supportive family and friends – and a lot of coffee – I transformed the label into a multi-million pound global business.
Also, to not feel the need to address every bit of negative attention. Energy goes where your attention goes, so if you pay too much attention to criticism or anything negative, it will grow in turn.
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And what is the worst?
Prior to launching, I encountered hesitation from people who thought that my goals were too lofty given that I had no business experience. You know yourself and your dreams best so put your head down and ignore the naysayers.
Tell us more about the styles offered at Mars the Label and what are some of your favourite pieces this season?
Mars the Label’s designs integrate innovative sculpting technology with flattering silhouettes to ensure our Mars Girls feel and look their best no matter what they’re doing. The latest collection features pastels, and lace, spotlighting the power in femininity. Whilst we pride ourselves in our elevated, chic take on streetwear for the modern woman, I think this recent capsule collection showcases Mars’ versatility. My personal favourite piece of this season hasn’t been released just yet but it launches in April and it is everything that Mars stands for, colourful, vibrant, and sexy.
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What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Having expanded Mars so rapidly, I struggled with letting go of control. I loved having my hand in every pot, so to say, but as Mars got bigger and bigger, my availability during the day severely decreased. In this moment, I learned how to delegate and defer to others on my team, who are amazing might I add.
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What are your goals for the future?
I look forward to Mars’ global growth and welcoming more ‘Mars Girls’ into our already loyal community. They’re the driving force behind my vision for the brand and I want to continue designing high-quality clothes that make these incredible individuals feel empowered, beautiful, and most importantly, their best selves! Internally, I look forward to expanding our team with like-minded, driven professionals and supporting my current colleagues so they can excel in their careers at Mars the Label.
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